Judge: Sean McGowan

Note: Images were scored in five criteria, each worth a maximum five points.

The criteria were: 1. People in Relevant Context (Environmental Portraiture)

2. Newsworthiness of the event or story

3. Impact of the Image

4. Composition

5. Lighting and exposure

In the case of a tie, weighting was given to Newsworthiness.

WINNER:

#1134 The Leader, Matt Webster

“We Lost Everything”

Webster’s image of a sombre young family in the remains of their burnt-out home is innately dramatic and the standout Best News Photograph for 2025. The viewer instantly grasps the devastating situation before the eye is drawn into the intricacies of the scene. Webster’s composition left space for a bold headline and overlay text whilst including vital visual storytelling in the foreground and background elements. Lighting from high to the left of the camera creates dramatic three-dimensional shadows, falling off quickly beyond the family so they pop from the background. The unusual camera angle shooting upward from low down suggests a feeling of strength within the subjects in the face of their adversity.

RUNNER UP:

#1036 The Courier, Scott Murphy

“Dam Dry”

Murphy’s farmer on an empty bathtub in the dust is a solid composition brimming with ideas. The harsh midday sun, normally avoided by photographers, is used to highlight the extreme conditions, the dust falling from the fist is powder-dry and the distant dog is interestingly framed inside the fence. A camera angle from further left could have eliminated the distraction of the hefty fencepost and allowed for a tighter crop of the farmer.

THIRD:

#1283 Yorke Peninsula Country Times, Rod Penna

“Lights Out”

The darkness of Penna’s image is striking and unusual for a newspaper, thus creating immediate impact. The use of off-camera flash works well to pop the subject but his central position in the frame crowds the headline and overlay text.